The United Way of Lebanon County kicked off its 2024-25 fundraising season at a dinner Thursday, during which it announced a $1,000,000 campaign goal.
While the goal is daunting, campaign chair and board president Dan Ehrgood said the campaign has already raised $157,201, $17,460 of which was raised at the dinner, held at the Lebanon Country Club.
The 2024-25 campaign theme is Take Flight. While the hot air balloon take-off that was scheduled for Thursday was cancelled, Ehrgood said a hot air balloon is still in the cards for the campaign.
“Although we didn’t have the hot air balloon tonight, we are super excited for a hot air balloon ride to come,” said Ehrgood, going on to explain the theme. “In order for us to reach new heights as a community, we want to fill up this year’s campaign like a hot air balloon, and rise together and unite for impact in the community.”
Ehrgood said in an interview that the ultimate goal of the United Way of Lebanon County — whether through its Community in Schools (CISPA) program, Community Impact Grants, Day of Caring, or more — is to help local kids.
“It’s still focused around giving all kids a strong start in life by removing barriers in education, but also by providing families with support and access to services that they need,” explained Ehrgood.
The CISPA program places coordinators in school to support kids and connect them and their families with resources available in the community. While funding is initially provided by the United Way, schools can then add the program into their budgets.
CISPA coordinator Guillermo Barrosa, who works with kids at Lebanon Middle School, spoke at the kick-off about the importance of family support and engagement, discussing family engagement dinners he has hosted at the school.
“One of the things that we’re dealing with in terms of students, our students every day face many educational barriers,” said Barrosa. “You’re talking about not only your side of the classroom, but at home — hunger, poverty, family crises, low self-esteem, medical problems, violence, alcohol, and drugs.”
He said the program addresses attendance issues (which have been exacerbated post-pandemic) by working with kids to figure out why they’re struggling.
“My dedication to the attendance is to engagement and understanding that we have to create an environment that our kids want to try, and the families are valued,” Barrosa explained.
He said that since he started with the program in 2019, he has formed close bonds with students whom CISPA has helped graduate or even take steps to go to college.
“That’s what keeps me going — it’s really rewarding for me,” said Barrosa. “I’ve worked in education for a long time in various capacities. When you build that relationship with a student, that’s what really counts.
“A great program simply creates the environment for healthy relationships to form between the adults and the children. Young people thrive when adults care about them.”
The United Way also funds a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which connects residents earning $62,000 or less to trained tax preparers. Last year, Ehrgood said, VITA completed 620 tax returns.
“We think that saved residents about $160,000 in what they would have paid for traditional tax preparation,” he said. “If you’re under the income eligibility criteria, then you will receive a professionally prepared tax return with an IRS-qualified preparer at no charge — and that’s just keeping that $150 in your pocket.”
Ehrgood said that in addition to continuing VITA, the United Way also plans to expand to more tax preparation sites this year.
Scheduling can be accessed through the United Way’s 211 non-emergency call line, which can also connect residents to other resources.
Ehrgood also touched on the United Way’s Community Impact grants, which put money toward local initiatives improving resident health, education, and more.
“We’ve grown the number of applicants and we are growing the number of grants,” Ehrgood said. “We are only limited by how much we can raise in our campaign; so this is why we need your help.”
The kick-off was attended by locals including state Senator Chris Gebhard, all three Lebanon County Commissioners, individual donors, and representatives of businesses that contribute to the campaign.
Attendees could eat their fill of appetizers, dinner and dessert and watch the kick-off live.
Commissioner Bob Phillips attended representing the Francis J. Dixon Foundation, which is matching first-time donations and increased donations to the campaign dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000.
Attendees of the kick-off could donate in a 50/50 drawing, with half the funds going toward the campaign and half going to the drawing’s winner. The winner donated her half of the winnings, putting all funds toward the United Way.
The prizes don’t stop at events, Ehrgood said.
He noted that participants in workplace campaigns (in which a portion of earnings is designated to the United Way) over the course of the year will be entered into a drawing to receive four awards of $1,000 cash, Leitzel’s jewelry, a TMCA membership, and more.
“Believe it or not, it’s some of the lowest-wage-earning workers in Lebanon County that give the highest percentage of their pay,” said Ehrgood. “They understand what they’re doing, and they are connecting to their community. We want to reward them, or give them a chance.”
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